Football Down Lineman

What is a Down Lineman in Football?

Down lineman in football is a term used to describe the players on the team's defensive line, who, before the snap, get in a position where they have one hand on the ground, also called a 3 point stance. The down linemen are players in a defensive line such as defensive tackles, nose tackles, defensive ends; who are the ones directly facing the offensive line, and who are looking to get through the blocks and sack the quarterback. The 3 point stance allows the down lineman to have more impulse and strength when attacking the offensive line players, while also making it easier for them to go under an offensive lineman's block.

Different defensive schemes use a different number of down linemen. While the down lineman can better attack the quarterback, he has a limited view of the quarterback and the receivers. That way, some coaches prefer to have more linebackers than down linemen in their defensive formations. The difference in the number linebackers and down lineman is some of the basic differences between two of football's most popular defensive schemes, the 4-3 defense, and the 3-4 defense.